Tuesday, July 29, 2014

52 Ancestors: #31 Peter and Rosanna (Kimmerling) Miller


52 Ancestors: #31 Peter and Rosanna (Kimmerling) Miller
 

This year, Amy Johnson Crow has issues a new 52 weeks blogging challenge:

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

on her No Story Too Small blog.


The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor. Not only should this get me blogging more, but also to take a deeper look at some of the people in my family tree.

My approach: I have made this a Tuesday Theme, and, use it to enhance my WikiTree ancestor profiles. That is, focus on a different ancestor on my WikiTree list of profiles, each week (include possibly adding new profiles), Great idea! Thanks to Randy Seaver's post for bringing this to my attention!
Note: Third shift (not change) to approach. Beginning with #25, I will be doing direct ancestor couples.



 #31 Peter and Rosanna (Kimmerling) Miller

These are a set of my 3rd great-grandparents, #44 and #45 on my Ahnentafel Report, for my genealogy friends.

Their 4th child, 3rd son, was my 2nd great-grandfather, John Miller, see #26, in this series.


Most of what I know about these folks I can attribute to the research of a Preston cousin. I may or may not have all the most recent information properly recorded here. Use this data a clues, not definitive specifics.

Peter Miller (1779-1845) first married Rosanna Kimmerling (1781-1813). Both were born in Berks Co, Pennsylvania, where the following children were born. [Peter second married Mary Steward, and fathered five additional children.]

Peter and Rosanna had the following children:

1) Samuel K. Miller (1801-1886)
2) Rebecca Miller (1803-1887)
3) Henry Miller (1805-1868)
4) John Miller (1806-1888) - my 2nd great-grandfather
5) Sarah (Sara) Miller (1808-1859)
6) Mary M. Miller (1810-1891)
7) William Miller (1813-1814)

[Note: in some records, Kimmerling appears as Kemberling, in my experience]



What fun! ;-)

Families are Forever! ;-)

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

52 Ancestors: #30 John and Lena Butler


52 Ancestors: #30 John and Lena Butler
 
 
 This year, Amy Johnson Crow has issues a new 52 weeks blogging challenge: 
 
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

on her No Story Too Small blog.


The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor. Not only should this get me blogging more, but also to take a deeper look at some of the people in my family tree.

My approach: I have made this a Tuesday Theme, and, use it to enhance my WikiTree ancestor profiles. That is, focus on a different ancestor on my WikiTree list of profiles, each week (include possibly adding new profiles), Great idea! Thanks to Randy Seaver's post for bringing this to my attention!
Note: Third shift (not change) to approach. Beginning with #25, I will be doing direct ancestor couples.



#30 John and Lena Butler




These are a set of my 3rd great-grandparents, #42 and #43 on my Ahnentafel Report, for my genealogy friends.

Their daughter was my 2nd great-grandfather, Asenath (Butler) Preston, see #25, in this series.


Most of what we know about them is included in the links added to the #25 stories, for Asenath.

His life is still mostly a mystery, as far as details.

Lena's is even mores. There were references to "sons of the Butlers" but none have ever been identified.



What fun! ;-)

Families are Forever! ;-)

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

52 Ancestors: #29 William and Elizabeth (Clark) Preston


52 Ancestors: #29 William and Elizabeth (Clark) Preston

This year, Amy Johnson Crow has issues a new 52 weeks blogging challenge:

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

on her No Story Too Small blog.


The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor. Not only should this get me blogging more, but also to take a deeper look at some of the people in my family tree.

My approach: I have made this a Tuesday Theme, and, use it to enhance my WikiTree ancestor profiles. That is, focus on a different ancestor on my WikiTree list of profiles, each week (include possibly adding new profiles), Great idea! Thanks to Randy Seaver's post for bringing this to my attention!
Note: Third shift (not change) to approach. Beginning with #25, I will be doing direct ancestor couples.


#29 William and Elizabeth (Clark) Preston

These are a set of my 3rd great-grandparents, #40 and #41 on my Ahnentafel Report, for my genealogy friends.

Their first-born, a son, was my 2nd great-grandfather, William Charles Preston, see #25, in this series.


This William Preston was a legitimate American Revolutionary War hero - his service included:

    1.    Mr. William Preston, of Rumney, N.H., died lately at the advanced age of 87 years (in 1842).
    2.    In the course of that glorious struggle which secured our independence,
    3.    he was three months captive with the Indians,
    4.    when a British general bought him of the natives for a keg of rum,
    5.    and sent him to a prison at Quebec;
    6.    there loaded with irons, and suffering from cold and hunger,
    7.    he remained until the exchange of prisoners permitted him to resume the fatigues of the camp,
    8.    and serve his country for several years.

For further details, see: http://prestonfamilysagas.wikispaces.com/Another+Revolutionary+Hero+Gone

William Preston (b. 6 Jul 1755, Chester, Rockingham Co, NH; d. 17 Jan 1842, Rumney Co, NH) married 10 May 1779, NH; bur. Rumney Depot Cemetery)
Elizabeth Clark (b. 22 Jul 1760; d. 17 Jun 1807; bur. Rumney Depot Cemetery)

Their known children were:

1) William Charles Preston (1780-1837) See #25
2) Collins Preston (1782-1837)
3) Benjamin Preston (1784-1828)
4) Elizabeth Preston (1786-??; married to Frazer in 1808)
5) Henry Dearborn Preston (1788-1853)
6) John Preston (1789-1819)
7) Michael Preston (1792-1849)
8) Wells Preston (1794-??)
9) Hannah Preston (twin) (1796-??)
10) Joseph Preston (twin) (1796-1868)
11) Washington Preston (1798-??)
12) Adams Preston (1801-??)

Note: My daughter, Annette, and her husband, Larry, visited the Rumney Depot and wrote this report:
http://eduscapes.com/lamb/update04gg.html

What fun! ;-)

Families are Forever! ;-)

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Alex visits U.S.S. Lexington


Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Alex visits U.S.S. Lexington



During our 4th of July Weekend visit to our grandchildren in Austin, I learned that, on a Cub Scout trip in January, my Grandson, Alex Rathsack, visited the U.S.S. Lexington in Corpus Christi.



While there, he got his photo taken with the plaque commemorating the death of Nile Clarke Kinnick, 1939 Heisman Trophy winner, as a pilot in World War II. Nile was on a training mission flying off of the U.S.S. Lexington off the coast of South America. You can read the plaque.



A better view of the plaque... click to get a larger image!



Nile Kinnick was a 4th cousin, 4 generations removed, of Alex, for the genealogy record.

Here he is with the Blue Angel plane, as well!



He has had quite a number of historically significant visits as a member of his Cub Scout troop in Austin. We enjoy hearing about each trip.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

52 Ancestors: #28 Elias and Ann Eliza (Duncan) Williams


52 Ancestors: #28 Elias and Ann Eliza (Duncan) Williams
 
 
 This year, Amy Johnson Crow has issues a new 52 weeks blogging challenge:
 
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

 on her No Story Too Small blog.
 
The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor. Not only should this get me blogging more, but also to take a deeper look at some of the people in my family tree.

My approach: I have made this a Tuesday Theme, and, use it to enhance my WikiTree ancestor profiles. That is, focus on a different ancestor on my WikiTree list of profiles, each week (include possibly adding new profiles), Great idea! Thanks to Randy Seaver's post for bringing this to my attention!
Note: Third shift (not change) to approach. Beginning with #25, I will be doing direct ancestor couples.


#28 Elias and Ann Eliza (Duncan) Williams



These are a set of my 2nd great-grandparents, #26 and #27 on my Ahnentafel Report, for my genealogy friends.

Their first daughter, second child, was my great-grandmother, Margaret Jeanette (Nettie) (Williams) Kinnick, see #6, in this series.

There is still considerable work to do on both of these lines, going back, though much has been done. Ann Eliza died young, at age 37, leaving several young ones. Elias re-married eight years after her death, but had no more children.


Elias Williams (b. Jan 1838, Gyffylliog, Denhigh, England; d. Dec 1920, Coon Rapids, Carroll Co, Iowa) married 20 Apr 1862, Mercer Co, Illionois
Ann Eliza Duncan (b.  Mar 1842, Illinois; d. 22 Sep 1879, Guthrie County, Iowa)

I only know much about the three older children… very little about the other three…

Their children were:

1) Lemuel Benson Williams (1866-1935) - I got to know his wife
2) Margaret Jeanette (Nettie) Williams (1869-1936) - my great-grandmother
3) Josephine Williams (1872-1961) - I did get to know her!
4) Robert B. Williams (1874-bef 1961) - was not around when I was
5) Rose Williams (1876-1900)
6) Bertha Williams (1879-1898)


What fun! ;-)

Families are Forever! ;-)

Monday, July 7, 2014

The Writing Life Blog Hop, July 7, 2014


The Writing Life Blog Hop, July 7, 2014
[http://www.freeimages.com/browse.phtml?f=view&id=1223590]

Fellow author and genealogist, Michelle Goodrum, invited me to participate in a writing life blog hop. I sounded like a fine way to allow the reader to get into the heads of various writers so I agreed.  You can see who is featured in next week's post at the end of this post.

The questions:

1) What am I writing or working on?

I recently finished the first twenty episodes of a new series of short stories set in 1876 that I published on HubPages as individual stories. Then, I incorporated them into an eBook, "The Kings of Oak Springs," using Lulu. I've published my nonfiction there, but not my fiction. Also, this was my first eBook-only publication. It went very well for a first time out. My other fiction is published via CreateSpace and Amazon, in soft back hard copy and Kindle.
Using my family publishing company, we are putting the finishing touches on a collection of stories on The Founding (1833-1876) which are the backstories of my earlier novels in "The Homeplace Saga" series. The next two books, one set in the 1999, and the other set at the turn of the 19th-20th century, are being formulated in my head (and in some notes) and are somewhat related. Presumably, these will be novel "ish" books number six and seven in the series.
One other project is my "Weston Wagons West" series of short stories, again, published separately, on HubPages. This is a fictional extended family (from 1600s to current day) who interact, through the years, with my actual ancestors that I have researched over the years. What fun!! Most recently, one of these lines actually interacts with my "The Homeplace Saga" characters in Missouri. It is purely fictional, and adds an exciting new perspective on my most familiar characters. These episodes will eventually be packaged as eBooks, as well (especially now that I know how easy it actually is, if you keep it simple!).

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?

My genre is the family saga. I know of no other family saga set in the heartland of America, set in one location, with the same set of families through many years (the saga). The stories are in the tradition of Little House on the Prairie being inspired by my passion for family history and genealogy research as well as life experiences. As more stories are generated, more stories are inspired. The early stories focused on four families. Recently, I introduced a family new to the area, and am letting them tell the stories of the community from this additional perspective. These are "real-lifelike" families and deserve to have their stories told.

3) Why do I write what I do?

Basically, because I must. I am a writer. That is what I do. I read and I write. I studied writing in the late 1980s, but then decided earning my PhD was more important for my family. During the 15 years I was a college professor, my wife and I focused on family history and genealogy research as our primary "hobby." Upon retirement, at age 70, I committed to my writing career. I write because I must, not for money (thankfully!). The fiction I now write is a culmination and consolidation of many years of family history study and life experiences. My nonfiction writing is an outlet for what I am thinking and doing that does not go into my fiction. This mostly relates to a deep interest in "heritage" - that is, the historical, cultural, and natural aspects of life.

4) How does my writing process work?

As a retired person, my first responsibilities are to my wife, and my family. My family is relatively small, it turns out, so I do have free time. I choose to read and to write, in that free time. Unlike many others, my writing time usually comes in the afternoon and evening, or even late at night. I write when I feel like writing. My only deadlines are monthly. I keep a rough plan, and I think about my writing, a lot, even when I am not writing. Much of my short writing projects, in particular, are composed in my mind, while doing other things, even lying in bed at night. If I try to force it, or meet imposed deadlines, it doesn't work. Otherwise, the stories flow from my characters, and their lives. I have more stories in my mind, for many of my characters, than I can possibly ever "write down" - much like real life. Most stories never get told. I accept the responsibility to write as many of them, as I physically can, in the time I have.

 

NOW, let's meet next week's featured author:


Terri O’Connell is a professional genealogist in the Chicago area, focusing on Midwestern United States Genealogy, with a main focus in Illinois and a special interest in Irish research. She is also the owner of Cruise Planners – O’Connell Cruise and Travel, a full service travel company. Their mission is to encompass the full family: vacations, reunions, and history travel. Terri is a travel enthusiast with a passion for genealogy and enjoys bringing the two together to assist her clients in their travel needs. You can find Terri online at www.facebook.com/cruiseplannersoconnell, www.facebook.com/tracingmyfamily. Terri is the Executive Director of The In-Depth Genealogist, www.theindepthgenealogist.com.


Blog Hop History
This particular blog hop started in April 2014 by Ellen Barone on The Internal Traveler. If you follow the links backwards you will see a wide variety of writing genres represented. If you Google "Blog Hop Ellen Barone" you can see a sampling of what I am talking about. Also, you can read the post by Shannon Combs Bennett that got Michelle involved and the other writers she featured there, as well!! ;-)

[Simultaneously published at Dr. Bill's Book Bazaar and Dr. Bill Tells Ancestry Stories.]

Families are Forever! ;-)

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Six of the Basic Rules of Genealogy - Thanks, James Tanner


Six of the Basic Rules of Genealogy
Thanks, James Tanner




I wanted to record the existence of this post, for my own reference. 

If you haven't seen it, you may benefit, as well. Thanks, again, James!! ;-)


Families are Forever! ;-)

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

52 Ancestors: #27 Walter Watson and Mary Estelle (Simmons) Kinnick



52 Ancestors: 
#27 Walter Watson and Mary Estelle (Simmons) Kinnick



This year, Amy Johnson Crow has issues a new 52 weeks blogging challenge:

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks
 
on her No Story Too Small blog.

The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor. Not only should this get me blogging more, but also to take a deeper look at some of the people in my family tree.

My approach: I have made this a Tuesday Theme, and, use it to enhance my WikiTree ancestor profiles. That is, focus on a different ancestor on my WikiTree list of profiles, each week (include possibly adding new profiles), Great idea! Thanks to Randy Seaver's post for bringing this to my attention!
Note: Third shift (not change) to approach. Beginning with #25, I will be doing direct ancestor couples.
 

#27 Walter Watson and Mary Estelle (Simmons) Kinnick



These are a set of my 2nd great-grandparents, #24 and #25 on my Ahnentafel Report, for my genealogy friends.

Their youngest son, Alonzo Palmer Kinnick, was my great-grandfather, see #5, in this series.


This was written in June 1999 - about the whole family… what fun, great memories:

http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~earlyyrs/kinnick/kinnickweb/wwatkinn.html

How nice, FindAGrave is back on line:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=47559478

Put Walter Watson Kinnick in a Google search… I wrote most of the pages… or the information was from me, posted by others.


What fun! ;-)

Families are Forever! ;-)